Background and Objectives: Facilitation is common in the era of practice transformation. Much of the literature on practice facilitators focuses on the role of external facilitators who come into a practice to aid in practice transformation efforts. Our study sought to better understand the attributes of exemplary facilitators. Methods: We conducted 10 structured interviews in four family medicine residencies. Results: Program directors easily identified internal staff who serve informally as exemplary facilitators. Despite varying jobs, they possess seven identifiable attributes within three broad domains: task orientation, relational skills, and emotional intelligence. Conclusions: Given the increasing cost of practice transformation and the finite resources in many clinics, this study can help leaders identify current employees best suited for facilitation.

While interpretations are limited by the response rate of the survey, results provide an increased understanding of how programs define scholarly activity as well as reference points for faculty productivity. This information can help program directors when setting criteria for scholarly work.